Sky

Look up from anywhere on earth and the same sky comes to meet you: the wide blue reach of morning, the slow drift of clouds, the gold and rose of evening, the deep dark scattered with stars. The sky arches over every land and belongs to everyone. The swallow and the eagle ride it, the rain gathers in it, and the wind carries seeds and birdsong and weather from one side of the world to the other.

This open sky is greater than any of us, and it lives within us with every breath. The air above the mountains and the air we all breathe are one and the same, drawn in, given back, shared with every living thing. To pray for the sky is to reach toward something vast and high above you, and in the same breath, to be filled by it.

So lift your eyes a while, today and tomorrow and the day after. Picture the air clear and the heavens bright, and offer them what you offer all you love: a wish for clean air, for gentle weather, for the safe passage of every winged thing. Let this be your prayer for the sky, in your own words, in your own tongue. The truest ones are rising on the wind even now.

Guidelines for eco-prayer and good will intention, showing a pair of hands holding a small globe, with a starry night sky background.
A starry night sky over a mountain landscape with some clouds near the horizon.
Bright sun shining through a sky with scattered clouds, with some treetops visible at the bottom of the image.
A vast open field with green grass stretching toward the horizon under a sky filled with dark, ominous storm clouds.
View of a sunset or sunrise from an airplane window, showing the plane's wing in the foreground and the horizon with vibrant orange, red, and yellow colors blending into blue and black sky.
Group of birds flying against a cloudy sky.
A vibrant rainbow arching across a blue sky with scattered clouds above a green field and distant trees.
A seagull soaring in a blue sky with wispy clouds.
A scene of the ocean with gentle waves and a partly cloudy sky.
Multiple lightning bolts strike across a dark cloudy sky.
A bald eagle flying in a clear blue sky.
Blurred landscape with a blue sky and thin clouds.
A sunset over a calm lake with a wooden dock extending into the water, a silhouette of a person in a boat, and leafless tree branches overhead.

The images here are to help you connect with the Ecosystem. For Additional Photo Resources Visit the Eco-Prayer Resources Page

An Eco-Prayer for the Sky

East, South, West and North move here. Undivided sky shared by all. Sunrises, sunsets and stars unfold in the wondrous above. Moonbeams, rainbows and lightning shining through.

Air expanding endlessly in swirling dance. Sunlight fire glowing on butterfly wings.

Birds soar through wisps of clouds. The fluttering of leaves. Lungs filled with every breath.

What in the sky brings you awe and kindles your love?

Explore Other Ecosystems

A view of Earth from space showing continents, oceans, and cloud formations.

Earth

A sky with clouds illuminated in orange and pink hues during sunset or sunrise.

Sky

Underwater scene showing a vibrant coral reef with various fish swimming, including some with orange, yellow, and striped patterns, in clear blue water.

Ocean

Aerial view of a dense forest with trees in various shades of green, some with white or yellow leaves, and a narrow river or stream running through the middle.

Forest

Open grassland with rolling hills and distant mountains under a cloudy sky.

Plains

A panoramic view of a desert landscape with red rock formations, including cliffs and spires, under a blue sky with some clouds.

Desert

Coastal view with green hillside on the left, rocky shoreline, and ocean waves under a cloudy sky.

Coasts

A heron standing in a shallow pond surrounded by green aquatic plants, with a blurred background of trees and vegetation.

Wetlands

A river running through a lush green valley with dense trees on both sides, several boats floating on the water, and hills in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Lakes and Rivers

Snow-capped mountain peaks under a clear sky with a few stars visible and dark forested hills in the foreground.

Mountains

A serene arctic scene with floating icebergs in calm, icy blue waters under an overcast sky.

Poles

A honeybee collects nectar from a small yellow and white flower on a tall, hairy green stem, with a blurred green background.

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